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Police officers walking the beat

Eight members part of new foot patrol

By: Gabrielle Giroday

Posted: 02/3/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Const. Lorraine McDonald is one of eight police officers walking a beat downtown. The foot patrol is a key component of the service's Downtown Safety Strategy.

EIGHT Winnipeg police officers have a new beat -- the sidewalk.

Const. Lorraine McDonald is just days into a new gig with the foot patrol, where she'll walk the sidewalks of downtown for six to eight hours a shift.

The aim of the job is to be visible, said McDonald, who has nine years experience on the job and has worked in the Winnipeg Police Service vice unit.

"It's just a different way of policing," she said Thursday. "You get tired going from call to call to call. So, it's kind of nice just walking around and just having that time to interact with people."

McDonald said the initial response from people she meets has been positive. "I have been approached by some of the citizens wanting to tell me that they're glad to see more of us out there."

Police Chief Keith McCaskill and Mayor Sam Katz were front and centre at a Thursday news conference highlighting the foot patrol, which is a key component of the service's Downtown Safety Strategy.

The strategy was unveiled last November, but the event featured a Who's Who of the officers taking part in the foot patrol.

Officers will work day and evening shifts and will be on the streets every day of the week.

"These are people (who) are going to work hard with the community to develop those relationships, look at the problems in the community and try to solve them," said McCaskill.

Added Katz: "Crime and safety is a top issue," and the foot patrol will provide a link between officers and the public.

"The reason is real simple. If you talk to citizens today, you will find out there are two key priorities: crime and safety, and infrastructure," he said. "And this was to address crime and safety.

"We know that everyone should feel safe no matter where they are, whether it's downtown, whether it's in their backyard, whether it's waiting at a bus stop anywhere in the city... and that's our goal."

Last fall, Air Canada cited downtown safety concerns in its decision to move its flight crews from the Radisson Hotel on Portage Avenue -- a move Katz said was unwarranted.

For McDonald, it's "more of a positive way to do policing" and "more visible" from other work she's done in the past. She'll be working in an area bordered by Portage Avenue and Broadway, and from Main Street to Memorial Boulevard.

"It's just getting out there talking to people, getting feedback from them," she said.

The announcement came the same week the Winnipeg Police Association and the City of Winnipeg are in arbitration hearings over what officers should be paid.

The WPA wants officers to get a wage increase of 5.75 per cent in 2011 and 2012, while the city is proposing a 3.47 per cent increase in 2011 and three per cent in 2012.

Katz said the announcement Thursday wasn't related to the ongoing arbitration hearings.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 3, 2012 B1

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